Senior Controls Engineer

Location: Columbus, Ohio (Hybrid)

Employment type: Full-time

Lead the controls engineering design scope for pharmaceutical and food & beverage facility projects. Own the technical quality and coordination of control-panel, industrial-network and electrical installation packages. Combine hands-on design with technical reviews, resolution of client and vendor interfaces, and mentoring of engineers through construction and commissioning support.

What you will deliver

• Develop coordinated panel and field-installation packages, including equipment and panel layouts, schematics, wiring and termination details, cable lists, and I/O schedules.
• Design and document industrial-network topology and physical connections; coordinate instrument, panel and equipment interfaces with the installation package.
• Survey existing installations, document field conditions, and incorporate verified information into design and as-built documents.
• Coordinate with process, mechanical and electrical engineers, equipment vendors, panel fabricators and installation contractors; prepare specifications and bid-package information.
• Own the controls design basis and package completeness; review drawings, specifications and schedules for technical consistency and constructability, and mentor engineers through reviews.
• Provide PLC/HMI programming and project lifecycle support, including troubleshooting, testing, installation and commissioning, with design changes reflected in the final documents.
• Apply relevant project codes and standards, including NEC and UL 508A where applicable.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical or Chemical Engineering.
• 8+ years of control-systems experience in manufacturing or consulting-design environments, including commissioning experience.
• Proficiency with AutoCAD for control-panel design and electrical construction packages.
• Experience with control-panel and industrial-network design, component and instrument selection, and coordination of drawings and schedules for fabrication and installation.
• Hands-on experience with Rockwell Automation Studio 5000 / RSLogix 5000 and FactoryTalk View ME/SE for PLC, HMI and SCADA project work.
• Ability to survey existing systems, coordinate clients and vendors, and prepare design and bid packages. Coordinate single-line diagrams, panel schedules and power-plan interfaces with the electrical engineering team.
• Experience owning and reviewing coordinated controls packages, resolving design interfaces, and guiding other engineers.

Preferred experience

• Experience leading commissioning activities.

Hybrid work and project travel

This is an office-based hybrid role with remote work and project-site assignments. Office attendance is coordinated with the project team. Travel is anticipated to be 20–40%, depending on project requirements. Initial site visits typically last 1–3 days; commissioning assignments may last 1–4 weeks.

The salary for this position is between $80,000-$130,000, contingent upon the candidate’s experience and demonstrated technical proficiency.

About LAPORTE

Founded in 1999, LAPORTE is a consulting engineering firm serving pharmaceutical, food & beverage, and industrial manufacturing clients across North America and Europe.

We offer a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits, compensatory paid time off (PTO), a flexible work environment, and opportunities for professional growth and collaboration.

Apply with your résumé. Relevant project examples can help us understand your contribution; please omit confidential client information.

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